Second chance to see/hear...

Our Festival may only have lasted 10 days, but we have done all we can to ensure there is a legacy for the work, making podcasts and films available on the past event pages, here.

Highlights include: Hard Histories, Positive Futures with Patrick Kielty
Varo and their music from Dublin (link)
Our From Here and Mellowtone 'video off'
and many, many more... It's just like 'catch up' on your telly!

Last chance to feedback

Each year we generate a Festival Review, to share with funders, partners and audiences, which includes all the feedback you provide. We would love to hear how you got on with this year's virtual Festival, using our online survey. It's almost all multiple choice and your answers help us understand what we need to do to improve. Please share your views with us, using the link. The survey will close on Mon 23 Nov.

Image above: The Open Invite

The Open Invite

Irish Community Services Chicago (ICSC) is extending an invitation to seniors around the world, to compensate for the cancellations of gatherings that "gave life to our communities". Even months after the initial outbreak social interactions are severely restricted, particularly for senior populations, so ICSC has shifted its thinking -and actions- to help keep the communities it loves alive. “Every challenge also offers opportunities,” Michael Collins, Executive Director, ICSC. “We’ve learned that technology can be a lifeline to keeping in touch with loved ones while we can’t be together physically [which has] reminded us that technology offers a chance to connect across great distances and expand our communities. We have opportunities to make new friends and serve more people.” With this in mind, Irish Community Services has launched The Open Invite.This is a heartfelt invitation to seniors around the world to participate in their program of online gatherings, including five online senior gatherings over the next three months, featuring guest speakers discussing wellness, healthcare, and aspects of Irish culture.

These will be free and accessible by computer from anywhere in the world using an online platform called Zoom. Senior participants simply need to join the meeting at the designated start time using log-in details found on the ICS website (www.irishchicago.org/openinvite).

These sessions aim to engage seniors by harnessing the power of technology, to strengthen ties to Ireland by working with several presenters and performers based back home on the Emerald Isle. Please share this with loved ones and networks and encourage seniors to take part.

Vote for your favourite

We have never seen a year like it for the arts and creative sector. Liverpool City Region want to recognise and celebrate all that has been achieved through such a challenging period. Nominations can include an individual, organisation, business, group or partnership, that has demonstrated outstanding creative achievement through cultural activity over the last year. This is not just restricted to professionals and can involve volunteers and community activity, too. Organisations are able to nominate themselves and invite others to do the same. Is there an organisation you think has done well this year, in the face of adversity? If so, make like the Americans and get voting, here! You could even vote for the Liverpool Irish Festival!

Make a gift

Large or small, everything helps. If you value the work we do in maintaining networks, supporting artists and being a representative voice for our communities, any gift you can make to support that work would be greatly appreciated. Although we have received some support from Arts Council England for the next six months, the funding for arts, culture and heritage looks like it is set to become even harder than the last decade of austerity. Anything you can spare will help us to continue our work with artists and communities for 2021. Make your gift here.

"Let's get tested!"

Liverpool City Region was the first in the UK to be placed in to Tier 3 restrictions to stem the transmission of Covid-19. Consequently, we will also be the first to receive city wide Coronavirus testing. Matt Ashton -Director of Public Health for Merseyside- has more on this here.

85 testing stations will be opening across the region and we are urging you to make use of these if you live in the Merseyside area. Everyone living or working in Liverpool will now be offered Covid-19 testing, whether they have symptoms or not, in the first pilot of whole city testing in England made possible by the dramatic increase in testing capacity and new technologies. More technical information here for those who are interested.

To book your test, click here.

Testing will be carried out in sites across the city, including a large number of new sites determined by local leaders. There will be a variety of ways to book a test, including online, walk-up, or by invitation from the local authority. Testing will be carried out in new and existing test sites, using home kits, in hospitals and care home settings, and schools, universities and workplaces. There is a FAQ page here.

Please help to re-open our City.
Let’s start the fightback against Covid.
Let’s get tested.
Let’s do it for Liverpool.

Stay well!

We hope you are keeping as well as it is possible to under the lockdown restrictions in your area, where ever you are in the world. Irish in Britain are running a number of online resources and networks, that you may find useful (use this link) and, in Liverpool, Irish Community Care and CARA continue to develop their services (read the latest enewsletter here).

There's no two ways about it, it's been a hard year for people in our community. Seeing the work of CARA, Irish Community Care and the Liverpool Irish Centre has been heartening, whilst the work of the Embassy and other charitable bodies, rolling out impressive programmes and keeping on in the face of things has been needed more than ever. We will continue working with these organisations, to develop plans and activities, and hope you will join us as we do. We'll be in touch again soon.

liverpoolirishfestival.com